Video: How to Make Italian Meatballs

See the secret to tender baked Italian meatballs.

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In this video, you’ll learn how to make simple Italian meatballs using both ground pork and beef. Find out why a few cloves of crushed garlic are NOT optional ingredients in this recipe! You’ll see how to avoid over mixing your meatballs and discover the benefit of chilling your meat mixture first before forming balls. Bake your meatballs until browned and then add to your favorite tomato sauce and simmer. Be sure to make some extras for meatball sandwiches! You’ll also learn Chef John’s rule of thumb for determining how much salt to add to ground meat recipes and see what size of meatball is officially sanctioned by Chef John. Get the recipe for Italian Meatballs.

This is my hubby's favorite meal. A little different from my usual meatball recipe but very good. BTW I have always browned my meatballs in the oven. Don't they break up is not cooked before placing in the sauce?

To: Joanne:
I too agree with you about Lidia B. I have several of her books which can be purchased on QVC and love them!

limom

Jan. 21, 2012 7:57 am

TO: rgerard24: To add recipe link to your All Recipes account: a) Copy the link that was given for the video, b) click on "my allrecipes" on right hand side of menu bar, click on "recipe box" then "options" then "weblink" and you can paste the link to the video and recipe into your AllRecipes account. Worked for me!

Oh, I meant to add that I broil my meatballs. Always have. Broiling allows the majority of the fat to drain away. I've never heard of putting raw meatballs directly into the "gravy" (lol) or sauce. As "Florabunda" states, browing adds SO MUCH flavour! By the way, I'm 3rd generation Irish Canadian, with nary a drop of Italian in me but LOVE Italian food, particularly meatballs!

Three generations of Italian paisans polled here in New Jersey and the majority said the meatballs used to go right into the "red gravy" (sauce) but then the fat globules collect on top of the sauce, (pretty unappetizing and not so great for the sauce flavor,either)so they have switched to browning them in the oven and draining off the fat. The browning heightens the flavor dimension as well. The fat, btw, in an 80/20% meat blend - pork, beef, veal, etc. is a considerable amount. For chicken,turkey and lean 90/10% ground beef,right into the sauce might well be the way to go. Either way, this is a delicious authentic recipe and several sons and daughters of Altripalda and Castelgrandesi approved this recipe most heartily!Thank you for sharing and enjoy making this recipe! PS What do they call where you live? I can't tell you how many fistfights have broken out here in Newark, even outside church after Mass, as to whether it is called "sauce" or "gravy"! So, what do you say?

If you want the recipe, do a little sleuthing! He mentions the recipe can be found at his website - FoodWishes. But, being the nice person I am, I've done the work for you! http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2007/02/italian-meatballs-lets-get-rolling.html